IN NEWSTHE A look at what’s happening on our Erie and Ruskin campuses. Page 2 MAKING HEADLINES FOR 75 YEARS The Gannon Knight celebrates an era of student-produced news. Page 22 BUILDING ON A WINNING MOMENTUM The cornerstone of Gannon Athletics is now the Highmark Events Center. Page 4 OUR PERSPECTIVESAnenrichingAlternativeBreakServiceTrip to Arizona yields broader understanding of the world around us. Page 16 May 2022
Gannon President Keith Taylor, Ph.D., spends time in Ecuador with Gannon students as part of an Alternative Break Service Trip.
editorial contributors Mallory
Haley KristineFigurskiRilling photography student, staff
contributing
The Gannon Knight – our award-winning student-produced news organization – is celebrating 75 years of publication while looking ahead to its next edition as a thriving digital news organization. This issue of the Gannon Magazine embraces our changing landscape and reflects our strides in meeting today’s challenges and creating meaningful impact. I am deeply grateful for our Gannon community of alumni, students and my colleagues who lean into new experiences with a heart of curiosity, a desire to grow, and a determination to transform the lives of those around them. I hope you will enjoy and be inspired by the stories shared in this issue of the Gannon Magazine
presidentfrom the
Bottoni
alumni contributors exclusive video content Matthew King online edition Michael Gorski ’11M Chloe Forbes ’21 printing Royle Printing, Sun Prairie, Wis. class notes and address changes Office of Constituent 814-871-7261gannonalumni@gannon.eduEngagement Gannon Magazine is published bi-annually by University Marketing and Communications. We value your input; please direct any comments, questions or feature ideas to magazine@gannon.edu. Vol. XXXIV, No. 1 • May 2022 Gannon University• 109 University Square Erie, Pennsylvania 16541 • (814) 871-7000 www.gannon.edu
Keith Taylor, Ph.D., President editors Doug Oathout Chief of Staff and Director of Marketing and Communications Brianna Mariotti Content Marketing Strategist design Laura AndrewGiannelliLapiska ’09M writers NicoleChloeChaconaForbes’21(Dohoda) Lossie ’11 Bob Shreve (Hedlund) ’14 and
John
With gratitude,
Every trip with students is an amazing adventure, and traveling to Ecuador on a recent Alternative Break Service Trip added to my list of precious Gannon memories. It moved me deeply to be welcomed into another culture by our Ecuadorian hosts and to serve our global neighbors alongside students. I, like others who’ve engaged on these trips, have found them to challenge our worldviews, remind us of the blessings in our lives, and enrich our global understanding of others. This trip felt symbolic of how we as a Gannon community have expanded our own horizons over the past year through many new and meaningful efforts to explore the beauty of our differences in Erie, Ruskin and well beyond. For some of us, this meant encountering new people and cultures and delving into new research and technologies. For others, it was bringing together a diverse set of ideas and talents to achieve goals we could never accomplish on our own. For our recent graduates, it was taking their educational experiences and a newly earned diploma to go and make a difference in the world.
This issue of the Gannon Magazine celebrates how we are expanding our horizons and perspectives – engaging and seeing the world through a variety of lenses. This year, we welcomed more new global students than ever, and our campuses continue to become even more rich and diverse as a result. Students came from more than 70 countries and territories around the globe, each bringing their own ideas, traditions and experiences that help us see the world and each other in different and better ways.
Change is happening all around us. Here in Erie, our health professions faculty and students celebrated the opening of a new pro bono clinic that provides essential medical equipment to underinsured members in our community. In Ruskin, health professions faculty and students worked to support cognitive health in older patients. We are honoring our roots while writing new chapters. In February, we celebrated a new partnership with Highmark Health that will transform the former Hammermill Center – now the Highmark Events Center – into a state-of-theart facility that will take athletics to the next level while bringing visible change to our downtown Erie landscape.
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12 Learning from the (Pop-Up) Playbook Senior business students take on the challenge of creating their own pop-up businesses.
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@gannonugannon.edu/linkedinfacebook.com/gannonuinstagram.com/gannonutwitter.com/gannonu
28 Class Notes Keep up with the latest news from Gannon alumni.
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Ruskin faculty and students cross-collaborate to identify early indicators of cognitive change in older adults.
Gannon Women’s Head Basketball Coach Cleve Wright and his daughter, Emma Wright ’21, create a powerful dynamic on and off the court.
A look at what’s happening on our Erie and Ruskin campuses. Heroes in Training Two Gannon ROTC cadets and nursing program students work toward something bigger than themselves. 09 Life Hacks We asked our Gannon Knights what tips and tricks they’ve found that are just too good not to share.
CHOSEN for a Purpose
04
Finding Peace of Mind
On the Cover: Enriching our Perspectives
Gannon students participate in a weeklong Alternative Break Service Trip at the Arizona border, where they focused on caring for migrants and the communities in which they find themselves. Alternative Break Service Trips are designed to broaden participants’ worldviews and foster global citizenship through service and relationship-building within other cultures. To learn more, turn to page 16. Making Headlines for 75 YearsfromPerspectivestheBorderBuilding on a Winning Momentum
contents Gannon Magazine May 2022 View GannontheMagazine Online Edition Look for this symbol for articles with exclusive video and photo galleries found in the Gannon Magazine online edition at magazine.gannon.edu/May2022 To receive the Gannon Magazine online edition directly to your inbox or to manage your subscription preferences, visit gannon.edu/magazine 02 In the News
26 Making the Wright Connection
The new Gannon Wellness Clinic at C.M.P. Pavilion is providing medical equipment and education to community members.
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I-HACK’S INSPIRATION PLAZA SEES FIRST PHASE OF SCULPTURE INSTALLATION
A partnership with Thomas B. Hagen and the Historic Preservation Trust will transform three 19th and early 20th century houses in Erie’s West Sixth Street historic district. Restoration efforts will begin this year to transform these houses into a student apartment, an alumni house complete with offices and community spaces, as well as a bed & breakfast-style campus residence. The project is part of Gannon’s master plan to enhance the campus landscape while creating a string of stunning, historically significant buildings in Erie.
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CHESS SPEAKER SERIES CONTINUED 7 Gannon’s College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences continued its 2021-22 CHESS Speaker Series, Reinventing Right Now. This year-long series focused on artistic expression, exploration of our varied heritages, and emphasis on the self and connections with one another as we find healing amid recent unprecedented events. A key event of this series included the Multicultural Dance Night on March 11 that brought students together to celebrate the rhythm of different steps from around the world while showcasing the universal connections of creativity in humanity.
in the NEWS
The university launched a bachelor’s degree in applied intelligence to prepare students for positions in security-related career fields that involve analysis, research, evaluation and planning of intelligence and policy matters. A new graduate certificate in anti-money laundering provides the essential knowledge and capabilities for working professionals and non-working individuals who want to develop themselves with the expertise in the AML professional field.
GANNON ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR WEST SIXTH STREET
Stay up-to-date with Gannon’s news at gannon.edu/newsworthy
RUSKIN ACADEMIC BUILDING’S THIRD-FLOOR BUILD-OUT CONTINUES 4 This floor will house classrooms, laboratories, a simulation center for clinical skill development, the Gannon Learning Commons with group and individual spaces and a green screen studio, as well as interfaith and meditation spaces, a café, lecture hall and gathering space. The university will finish building out this floor in summer of 2022. Gannon dedicated the first two floors of this 83,000-square-foot facility in August 2019 to provide a learning environment for future health care professionals.
HOUSES 1
Gannon’s newest residence hall – South Hall – is being outfitted with apartment-style living and modern amenities. The four-story hall will accommodate about 100 students of the university’s growing enrollment while aiding the revitalization of downtown Erie by giving life to an older structure. Construction of South Hall, which formerly was the RCWE building, is expected to be complete in summer of 2022.
The new sculpture was created by local artists Tom Ferraro and Ed Grout and made possible through the generosity of Deacon Marty Eisert ’85, ’89 and Kathy Eisert. The piece is supported by steel frames manufactured by Industrial Sales and Manufacturing, which is owned by Jim Rutkowski Jr. ’83. The sculpture sits on a base constructed by Building Systems Inc., which also installed the sculpture. Gannon is proud to work with local artists, businesses and alumni to bring art to the community.
CHICK-FIL-A OPENS ON CAMPUS 2 Gannon University and Metz Culinary Management announced the official opening of Chick-fil-A on the university’s Erie campus on Jan. 18. The new Chick-fil-A enhances the variety of dining options on campus, which include a traditional dining hall, grab-and-go as well as made-to-order locations and university-owned restaurant and café. Chick-fil-A is Gannon’s first national chain restaurant on campus and offers public sit-down and take-out services.
SOUTH HALL CONSTRUCTION ON TRACK FOR SUMMER COMPLETION 3
GANNON OFFERS NEW PROGRAMS 5
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1IT’S
Sophomore volleyball player Madelyn Blake said she is most excited about the new stands.
“We will strive to capture and preserve the rich history that exudes within (the Highmark Center) while simultaneously elevating every aspect of the facility to best meet the needs of our student-athletes, coaches and fans,” she said. “Teams that will compete in the Highmark Center consistently have a presence on the national stage.”
IT WILL CREATE VISIBLE CHANGE TO THE DOWNTOWN LANDSCAPE. Together, Gannon University and Highmark will create another visible change to the downtown landscape and Perry Square. WINNINGONA
GANNON MAGAZINE MAY 20224
TAKING THE TOSTUDENT-ATHLETEGANNONEXPERIENCENEWHEIGHTS.
The home of the Gannon Golden Knights has a new name: the Highmark Events Center.
“We have such loyal fans and families that I think them getting to benefit from the new facility is their piece of joy that we get to share with them. I think I can speak for all the athletes on how truly thankful we are for the Highmark Center,” she said.
Renderings of the Highmark Events Center. An expected $10 million in renovations will transform the facility’s exterior façade and interior spaces including the lobby area and locker rooms (pictured L-R).
Gannon is strengthening its commitment to the student-athlete experience by modernizing the athletics facility with an expected $10 million in investments.
BUILDING
Gannon Athletics Director Lisa Goddard-McGuirk called it a “day of great magnitude and a time for celebration” as the university announced a ten-year agreement with Highmark Health that will transform the former Hammermill Center into a state-of-the-art facility and propel Gannon Athletics to the next Herelevel.arefive things to know about the Highmark Events Center.
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Renovations to the facility will create attractive and visible spaces for intercollegiate athletic practices and games. Plans include enhancing the Gary Miller Court to become a pride point for basketball, volleyball, wrestling, acrobatics and tumbling, competitive cheer and competitive dance programs. Home and visiting teams will also enjoy fully renovated men’s and women’s locker rooms.
“The Highmark Events Center will give our athletes the latest and most up-to-date facilities, equipment and technology they need to continue to perform at an elite level,” said Kelvin Jefferson, head men’s basketball coach.
These renovations, Goddard-McGuirk said, will also mirror the prominence of Gannon’s athletic teams and their commitment to excellence. This season alone, women’s volleyball advanced to the NCAA Final Four, and women’s basketball, men’s wrestling, women’s wrestling, and acrobatics and tumbling are or were ranked in the top 25 nationally.
“Gannon and Highmark have been working together to improve our city, our schools, our downtown and our region on several initiatives,” said Gannon President Keith Taylor, Ph.D. “We are excited to expand our partnership as we work toward transforming the lives of those we serve and focus on our responsibility to improve the world around us.”
This project is a signature of the university’s Believe. Inspire. Transform. Gannon’s Next Century campaign, adding to rapid progress toward the $100 million goal. Gannon has raised $5.5 million toward the project and nearly $65 million toward the campaign goal. By Brianna Mariotti, content marketing strategist
(L-R) Christopher Clark, DO, president of AHN Saint Vincent; Lisa Goddard-McGuirk, director of Athletics; Keith Taylor, Ph.D., president of Gannon; Jim Teed, vice president of Regional Markets, Highmark Inc.; and Barbara Beuscher, CFRE, vice president for university advancement, celebrate the naming of the Highmark Events Center.
Gannon’s athletic complex has been the home for Golden Knight teams since the basketball programs began to play there during the 1949-50 season.
JOIN US CAMPAIGN.GANNON.EDU
#GANNONFAMILY 5
IT REPRESENTS A MILESTONE IN GANNON’S NEXT CENTURY CAMPAIGN.
IT BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO THE FORMER HAMMERMILL CENTER.
“We are very excited to enter this partnership with Gannon University to advance and elevate what is truly a hub of athletic activity and a landmark in our downtown area,” said Jim Teed, vice president of Regional Markets, Highmark Inc.
We’ve embarked on a bold $100 million comprehensive fundraising campaign in pursuit of our mission to believe in, inspire and transform our students to live lives of impact around the globe. Goals of this campaign will lead to incredible outcomes in the areas of academic excellence, student experience, the Gannon Fund and campus enhancements. Ultimately, Gannon’s next century campaign will provide the resources we need to continue fully living out our mission of transforming students’ lives through high-quality, affordable academic experiences.
The facility was originally known as the Gannon Auditorium and affectionately referred to as “The Audi” by longtime Gannon faithful. The facility was rededicated and renamed the Hammermill Center – “The Mill” – in February of 1983 in honor of the generosity of the then Hammermill Paper Co. The university celebrated the official renaming of the Highmark Events Center in February 2022.
“The facility will communicate that Gannon Athletics is a priority for the university and that the student-athlete experience is high on the list for our administration and community,” said Cleve Wright, head women’s basketball coach. “I anticipate this facility helping us to compete for high-level recruits all over the country and out of the country.”
IT IS A RECRUITING JEWEL FOR GANNON ATHLETICS.
The Gannon athletic complex has been the front porch of the university’s Erie campus for 70 years, drawing crowds of up to 2,800 people for sporting events and games, lectures, concerts, camps and other programs – all of which bring people downtown and support our regional small business economy. The center will also host community events and public lectures that feature local and global speakers, as well as signature academic events.
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The Highmark Center will provide Gannon with a tremendous recruiting advantage when competing for the best student-athletes in the country. This academic year, Gannon welcomed the largest enrollment in its history with more than 4,700 students, including about 700 NCAA Division II athletes. The Highmark Center will further this trajectory toward recruitment successes.
WINNING MOMENTUM
On a chilly spring morning, students Claire Kiphuth and Daniel Scheidhauer were walking briskly along Presque Isle State Park with heavy packs strapped to their backs.
(Left) Daniel Scheidhauer and (Right) Claire Kiphuth are cadets in Gannon’s ROTC program as well as junior nursing students.
(Right page) Scheidhauer and Kiphuth participate in a leadership laboratory with other ROTC cadets.
GANNON MAGAZINE MAY 20226
It’sprogram.achallenge that makes a 10-mile pre-dawn ruck look like a walk in the park.
It was 5 a.m., and they and their training partners knew they would have to hurry to complete their 10-mile trek –or “ruck” – in time to make 8 a.m. Kiphuthclasses.andScheidhauer are frequently tested as cadets in Gannon University’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, or ROTC, program while also weighing the demands of the university’s rigorous nursing
“I put a lot of pressure on myself because I have that legacy. So, I thought I would be super good at everything right off the bat,” she said. That didn’t always happen. On Kiphuth’s first field exercise, she accidentally dropped her canteen into a portable latrine. Yet the lows can quickly turn into high points, as Kiphuth learned last summer in the Army’s punishing Air Assault Training course when she beat her expected time in the required four-mile run by a wide Personalmargin.achievements are important milestones for Kiphuth, but ultimately, ROTC and nursing for her are communal efforts.
By John Chacona, guest contributor
“I’m the perfect combination,” Kiphuth Yet,says.Kiphuth said neither ROTC nor nursing were in her plans as a student attending a small international high school in a Tel Aviv suburb. Two of her becamesiblingscadetsandenjoyedtheir
“Everybody talks about millennials as being self-centered, but I’ve been so incredibly impressed by all our cadets’ willingness to think bigger, to think beyond themselves,” LaFountain said. “They want more. They want to do great things. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves.”
“I’ve had the inclination to want to take care of others, and when thinking about what I want to do in life, it just seemed like it was my calling.
Like hundreds of Gannon University cadets before them, Kiphuth and
It wouldn’t be just a job; it would be a lifestyle. (Nursing) would be something interesting and making a bigger impact,” she added.
“I’m always looking ahead at what’s due in two days ... because as a nursing major, studying for one to two days before an exam is not going to cut it,” said Scheidhauer, who is a Mercer, Pa. native.
Balancing ROTC’s classes, laboratories and field training exercises with a demanding nursing curriculum calls for next-level commitment from Kiphuthstudents.and Scheidhauer undergo physical training from 6 to 7:15 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, leaving just enough time to grab a quick shower and bite to eat before 8 a.m. classes. As junior nursing majors, they also have extensive offcampus clinical assignments that can sometimes conflict with their regular academic and military science classes.
Military discipline is second nature to Kiphuth, a self-described Army brat who has lived in so many places that she has trouble recalling all of them.
For Kiphuth, a life of service that combines nursing and the Army is a family legacy. Her father is a colonel stationed in North Africa, and all her siblings are in the military. Her mother is a nurse, as were her grandmother and great-grandmother.
“We are all trying to work on academics, work on our (physical training) scores, and just trying to uplift everyone around us. And I think that is pretty special,” she said.
It hasn’t always been easy.
#GANNONFAMILY 7
Scheidhauer will be commissioned into the Army as second lieutenants after graduating with a four-year degree and successfully completing the ROTC course of study. They will join the more than 1,200 officers who have been commissioned from the Pride of Pennsylvania Battalion at Gannon.It’safamiliar path for Lt. Col. Daniel LaFountain, Gannon’s professor of military science and a former ROTC cadet. Lt. Col. LaFountain heads the Pride of Pennsylvania Senior Army ROTC Battalion, which includes students from all majors at Gannon as well as Mercyhurst University and Penn State Behrend. Lt. Col. LaFountain emphasized the cadets’ desire to pursue a bigger purpose through ROTC.
experiences, so she decided that was “something I wanted to also be a part of,” she said.
J. Francis ’89
Following the presentation, Francis engaged cadets in a Q&A session brief ceremony to honor certain cadets who have shown exemplary commitment to GannonROTC.
University held a brief ceremony inducting Francis as the ninth member of the Gannon ROTC General Officer Wall, which commemorates all the graduates of the Gannon ROTC program who have achieved the rank of general officer.
attributed much of his success to the preparation in Gannon’s ROTC “Weprogram.doalot of leadership development in the ROTC program, but what Gannon provides is much broader in terms of your character, your faith and your intellect, and that has helped me throughout my career,” Francis told “Thecadets.leadership of the ROTC program here and the environment that Gannon provides allows you to explore the challenges that you’re going to face – whether that be physical challenges, leadership challenges, or even questions about national security challenges,” he Francisadded. also used his presentation to teach cadets about key values needed to serve in the Army. He emphasized certain virtues – like trust – as being equally important as professional military education.
a first-hand Lesson in leadership
Francis spent the morning in physical training with cadets before delivering a presentation where he shared his own experience in becoming commanding general in the United States Army Aviation Center of CommissionedExcellence. from Gannon ROTC in 1989, Francis continued his education at the Aviation Officer Basic Course and flight school, graduating in 1990. From there he served in a series of commands and staff positions with the U.S. Army with deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq, among others. He most recently served in leadership roles with the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Ala., transitioning to his current position as commanding general in 2019.Francis
“What we do at the end of the day is put our lives in the hands of the persons who are to our left and to our right, and they put their lives in yours,” he said. “It’s really important for you to understand that. …As you move into your Army career, the one thing that is really hard to gain and easy to lose is trust. You have to earn that trust and you have to continue to earn it every single day.”
Major General David J. Francis ’89 returned to Gannon University to visit with students in the Pride of PA ROTC Battalion on the university’s Erie campus in March.
Francis concluded the event with a heartfelt thanks to cadets.
“I want to thank you for raising your right hand that is guarding the uniform that you’re wearing today. To say yes, I will serve something bigger than myself that is absolutely vital to the national interests of the United States of America and to be a part of a team that’s unlike any other,” he said.
“I want to thank you for raising your right hand that is guarding the uniform that you’re wearing today. To say yes, I will serve something bigger than myself that is absolutely vital to the national interests of the United States of America and to be a part of a team that’s unlike any other.”-Maj.Gen.David
(Left) Major General David J. Francis ’89 addresses ROTC cadets at Gannon. (Below) Lieutenant Colonel Daniel J. LaFountain, professor of military science at Gannon, honors Maj. Gen. Francis as the ninth member of the Gannon ROTC General Officer Wall.
GANNON MAGAZINE MAY 20228
By Brianna Mariotti, content marketing strategist
Abdulmohsen Alamri, graduate engineering management student, and Mariana Syrotiak, director of the Office of English Language and Global Training
Sometimes you need some practical advice to make daily living just a little bit easier. That’s why we asked our Gannon Knights what tips and tricks – what we like to call “life hacks” – they’ve found that are just too good not to share.
Two factors contribute to making meaningful connections: sincere interest and acknowledgment of one another as human beings
Meagan Gania, director of Learning Abroad and International Academic Programs
Traveling by train? Skip the direct train and take the local one to get a real taste for the country. Stick to a plan. Plan your days ahead of time to help you maximize your experience. Pack lightly. Choose clothing that can be worn multiples times and combined to make different outfits.
CREATE
Invite someone gently into conversation and show genuine interest in an item they’re wearing, for example. Ask questions. Don’t interrupt or try to interpret what the other person is saying based on your point of view. Don’t show off your knowledge of the country or culture; you may run the risk of stereotyping. All this can be avoided by replacing judgment with curiosity.
LIFE HACKS
#GANNONFAMILY 9
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRAVELS
CONNECTIONSCROSS-CULTURALMEANINGFUL
Establish a budget. Airbnbs, hostels, trains, budget airlines and resources like Expedia are huge money savers. Do your research. Feel prepared and confident on a trip by seeking resources like “Culture Smart!” Take the road less traveled. Capital cities are great, but look for less touristy spots to get a feel for the culture and interact with locals.
You cannot see all sides, but you know they are there. You may have to do some mental calisthenics to get to them, but that’s what philosophy is about. Say the cube is health. There are six sides to the cube and to health: mental, physical, financial, social, communal and public. Each side has many aspects. Depending on your angle of vision, experience or knowledge, you can describe the aspects of each side. You notice the cube is one. There is one “wellness” that has many sides and aspects that are all interconnected. Suddenly you realize that you know an awful lot more than you first thought. That’s how you think outside the box or the cube.
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Aaron Kerr, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy
Experiment, try new things and engage in new activities that help you find peace and ease your mind, body and spirit amid uncertainty. Browse the app store for mindfulness, gratitude or meditation practices. Aromatherapy and essential oils have wonderful healing and grounding properties. It is equally as important to stay connected to your community. When in doubt, lean on your loved ones. Remember: you are enough, and you will get through this.
8 Have a plan and show up even if you don’t feel like it. Engaging at 50% effort is better than 0%.
9 Set up what you need to be successful. If you pack a bag for the gym, you can’t use it as an excuse to not go.
2 Associate your routine with a good feeling. Instead of dreading it, tell yourself how awesome you will feel when you are finished.
7 Do a workout that suits you. If you hate cross-fit, try dance or something else that you are excited to participate in.
Focus on one small change at a time. Begin with walking three days a week at a comfortable speed and duration and increase as you get stronger.
4 Reward your consistency with words of affirmation on a regular basis.
6 Do your workouts at the time of the day that best suits you. If that happens to be in the morning then wear your workout clothes to bed so you can get up and go.
10 Find joy in muscle soreness, reaching your goals and moving your body!
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STAY CURRENT WITHOUT DOOMSCROLLING
Dianna Lunsford, OTD MEd, OTRL CHT, associate professor and program director of the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program
Jeff Bloodworth, Ph.D., professor of history and co-director of the School of Public Service & Global Affairs
First, no cable news. All have bias to make stories melodramatic so you will continue to watch and programmers can rake in advertising dollars. Do not venture into the comment section. Remember, social media is for pictures of puppies, grandchildren and vacations… and maybe sports. That’s it. Now, find a smart writer or podcaster from a different political perspective and read or listen to them regularly. Thinking is like physical exercise; you need a bit of discomfort to grow. Finally, breathe. America and the world have endured tougher times. Somehow, better days are ahead.
Sometimes using a visual helps when we orforphilosophically.thinkForinstance,Idrawacubeandsay,“Thisisasymbolanidea,experience,eventreality.”
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY WITH A FITNESS ROUTINE
5 Don’t villainize food. Think about “moderation and lifestyle” instead of “indulging and diet.”
Alyson Eagle, LPC, MS, NCC, manager of Campus Health Initiatives – COVID-19
3 Have an accountability partner someone who has the same or similar goals in mind and who will support and not deter you.
STAY CENTERED IN STRESSFUL TIMES
How lucky we are in the United States to have the best national park system in the world and the first national park in the world too: Yellowstone. Europe has its architecture and art; we have our natural cathedrals of unmatched beauty. As some would say, this was America’s best idea. Visit them!
GET YOUR POINT ACROSS Jennifer Allen Catallier, associate professor and director of strategic communication
CURATE WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Steven Ropski, Ph.D., professor of biology
Have the courage to do the right thing. If you are choosing between good options, begin with gratitude for the opportunity to explore different paths. If time allows, live for a day or two as though you have made the decision final. See how you feel about it and how it impacts your daily life. Consider if you have a sense of peace about your decision. The more peace you feel, the more likely that it is the best fit.
VISIT YELLOWSTONE
Edited by Nicole Lossie ’11, social media and digital engagement
Emily Muntean, assistant director of Campus Ministry
#GANNONFAMILY 11
STAY SAFE FROM ONLINE SCAMS
Take one moment at a time and be mindful. Do at least three things each day - something for work, something for you and something for someone you love. Be grateful for at least three things. Be grateful to be alive. Be grateful for one good friend. Be grateful you are the special person you are.
AND KEEP YOUR SOUL HAPPY Julia Hawkins-Pokabla OTD, OTR/L, assistant professor of occupational therapy
Artworkmanager.by Matthew King, university media producer and digital content manager; and Laura Giannelli, assistant director for marketing and creative strategist Read more life hacks at magazine.gannon.edu/May2022
Online scams attempt to trick people into giving personal information like credit card numbers, passwords or Social Security numbers, or sending money or difficult-to-trace “currency” like gift cards. These scams often use “spoofed” or fake emails, websites or social media profiles and create a sense of urgency (your loved one will go to jail, my child is sick, etc.) to get you to act without fully thinking through the consequences. Always be suspicious of unsolicited emails, calls or social media messages. Find another way to validate the message or simply don’t respond. Never respond to an online request with personal information or any sort of businessOrganizationspayment.youdowithalready know your account information, and no legitimate business will request payment in iTunes gift cards. Never click links in a suspicious message. Ignore and delete. Always keep your password and personal information private.
Mark Jordano, chief information officer of Information Technology Services
Be clear and concise. More detail is not always better. We have a tendency to want to overexplain when we are trying to persuade, but this can backfire if your message gets lost in all the detail. Also, know your audience. Provide information that is most appropriate and relevant to your listener.
MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS
Other pop-up businesses this semester included Cards for Cancer, which provided a course for local community members on making creative greeting cards with proceeds benefiting the Hillman Cancer Center in Erie. Others, like
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Margo Loutzenheiser, a senior marketing major and student venture capitalist, decided to invest in the business after evaluating the team’s presentation that covered topics like business need, target market, value proposition and marketing strategies.
“The idea is to take all the siloed topics we talk about in classes – microeconomics, macroeconomics, accounting, finances, etc. – and put it all together in a very holistic, practical way,” Hersch said.
“The need was that dog owners want to show off their dog’s unique personalities while keeping them warm in the winter and providing them with protection from the sun in the summer,” Burek said.
This semester, a team of students including Cora Burek, Alhijazi Abdullah, Laurel Prokopchak, Ashley Drayer and Terrel Johnson pitched their business concept, Pretty Pup Bandanas, which would sell dog bandanas to canine lovers.
Loutzenheiser invested $50 into the company in exchange for 17.5% ownership after a two-week negotiation period against other venture capitalists. The project wasn’t without some risk to her too, though.
“We’re graded on things like our return on investment and return on assets,” Loutzenheiser said. “Basically, we look at what was invested and what the team did with my money and if they were successful in returning on those assets.”
As part of the capstone project, teams of students must pitch their business proposals to entrepreneurial course students, who act as venture capitalists. It’s a bit like ABC’s iconic business reality TV show, “Shark Tank,” Hersch said.
Every semester since, his senior business students have taken on the challenge of creating their own pop-up business that must be started, operated and closed within a two-week timeframe. It’s a challenge of putting textbook knowledge into real-world practice, Hersch said.
Pretty Pup Bandanas launched in late March, selling bandanas in a two-week timeframe from a table in Gannon’s Center for Business Ingenuity.
takeGannonLearningPlaybookfromtheUniversity’sassistantprofessorofentrepreneurship,KurtHersch,hadstumbledacrossaTVshowfeaturingpop-uprestaurantswhenhedecidedtohisbusinesspolicycapstonecoursetoanewlevelinfall2017.
“One of the biggest lessons I have taken away from this experience is that creating a business is not easy – even a pop-up business. It’s an eye-opener for people who want to start real businesses and all the time and effort it takes,” Burek said. Their proceeds will benefit Erie’s Anna Shelter. “We chose this shelter because it is a no-kill shelter,” Burek said.
(Pop-Up)
As for hitting the $50,000 in donations mark, “that’s humbling,” Hersch said. “It should seem impossible for students to continually inspire me, but they certainly do. When they reach the end of their project, and they’re talking about their business and raising $800, $1,000 or even $2,000 for charities, that’s inspiring.”
By Brianna Mariotti, content marketing strategist
(Left) A dog outfits a bandana from Pretty Pup Bandanas. (Center left) Students host an Advising Day Eve Pong Tournament to benefit Special Olympics in 2021. (Center right) Mental Health Matters sold custom-designed t-shirts, mugs and other merchandise in 2021 to benefit mental health nonprofits. (Right) Participants learn to make creative greeting cards with Cards for Cancer.
(Below) Ariana Raiford sells Grad Prints t-shirts to benefit St. Jude’s Hospital.
Putting a Value on Learning
Gannon’s Counseling Center was on the receiving end of two pop-up business projects that raised nearly $3,700 to support mental health resources.
businessesstudents’havebeensuccessfulenoughfortheprojecttobeself-sustaining.Infact,sinceFall2017thatinitial$500hasledtothe launch of 53 pop-up businesses, generating more than $50,000 in donations to local businesses and charities like the Erie YMCA, Erie City Mission, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Special Olympics and more.
Grad Prints, designed and sold t-shirts to benefit St. Judes Hospital.Thecourse’s first pop-up businesses in Fall 2017 were supported by $500 in start-up funds from the university, said Hersch. Since that semester,
The donations were used to purchase interactive workbooks to help students extend their therapy process outside of traditional sessions, said Jodi Giacomelli, Ph.D., director of Counseling Services. They were also used to invest in a computer-assisted program that helps individuals improve their physical and mental health.
in: • 53 pop-up businesses launched • $79,420 in revenues produced • $61,150 in profits generated • $51,650 donated to charity • Enough investment return generated to be self-funding for future semesters #GANNONFAMILY 13
capital to
“It’s so heartwarming that these students want to help their peers and care about their peers’ mental health enough to donate the money to this fund,” Giacomelli said. “It’s very important to us to use the money in ways that will directly impact students and their mental health.”
Between Fall 2017 and Fall 2021, Gannon’s business policy capstone course leveraged $500 in initial start-up result
Detria Smith, a sport and exercise science student, carefully monitors the patient’s functional fitness.
On cue, an elderly patient vocalizes a series of prolonged sounds, zzzzz, sssss, as speech-language pathology student Cecelia Enman carefully notes the duration of each on a chart to assess if the patient has healthy vocal Infunctions.thenext room over, another elderly patient performs a series of physical exercises. With his arms crossed over his chest, he stands up from his chair and then sits back down again. He repeats this movement for 30 seconds.
peacemind finding of
The clinic space of Ruskin’s North Building has become a hub of an amongenhanceinitiativeinter-disciplinaryuncommonresearchdesignedtoqualityoflifeolderpopulations.
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Flink said this uncommon collaboration just makes sense.
“Itcollaboration.startedasa conversation in the hallway,” Flink said. “Diana does a lot of research around cognition and how the brain changes when we get older. I do a lot more physiology-based work, but my area of expertise is also in movement control, similar to speechlanguage pathology.”
Afterward, Diana Julbe-Delgado, professor of speech-language pathology, Albert Villaneuva-Reyes, Ed.D., program director and professor of speech-language pathology, and Tania Flink, professor of sport and exercise science, work with students to compare the results of these and other assessments. They’re not just looking for signs of healthy speech and physical fitness, but for any factors that may influence cognitive change in older adults. It’s the key focus of the two programs’ research
We know that older adults often lose balance and coordination, and this is exacerbated if they do not maintain holistic health. Our brain is fed by “Here,motorsensorybothandfunction.”we’reprovidingolderadultswitheducationintwoareas of expertise: speech-language and exercise science,” she said.
On testing day, students perform a battery of assessments designed to capture different aspects of speech-language production, voice production, hearing, cognition and physical fitness measures. The results from these tests are then compared with other cognitive measures to determine whether any or all measures can best predict cognitive changes in older adults.
“Imagine having the choice of having memory, cognition, communication, or you get an extra year of your life to preserve those skills. That’s huge. That means more time with your family and friends and loved ones. That’s more outings, walks with your loved ones, and other activities you can do. That’s why we do what we do,” she said.
“The human body doesn’t work in isolation,” she said.
By Brianna Mariotti, content marketing strategist
“This experience has prepared me for how to work interdisciplinary to create an equitable and reliable study that has a positive impact.”
The study blends both disciplines by examining the relationship between speech-language processing and physical fitness levels and how they can predict mild cognitive impairment in older members of the community.
“(Clinicians) often only look at patients from one perspective,” Julbe-Delgado said. “For example, I might look at a patient’s speech or swallowing function. Meanwhile, there are huge issues in terms of physical fitness.
“Overall, this experience has prepared me for how to work interdisciplinary to create an equitable and reliable study that has a positive impact.”
At the end of the session, participants will receive tips on keeping the brain healthy through brain activities, exercise, nutrition and sleep and be invited back six months later to re-test on the assessments.
“We don’t want adults to lose their autonomy, their independence. One of the biggest things that adults will suffer as they get older is their ability to drive,” Julbe-Delgado said. “When you think about speech-language pathology and exercise science, we are targeting skills that are necessary for driving, such as cognition, eachcross-trainedfunctioning,executivedecision-making,motorbalance.”Enmanisoneoffourgraduatestudentsinthetwoprogramswhowereintheuseoftesttoassistfaculty.
Flink emphasized the importance of their ongoing research.
- Cecelia Enman
“I have always had an interest in working with voice patients since I joined the speech program, and this research has given me the opportunity to expand my skills and knowledge pertaining to voice measures, a normal versus abnormal voice, and perceptual differences,” she said.
Julbe-Delgado said they hope to build on their data throughout the next year to distribute to health professionals and other community members as educational tools.
(Middle) Students evaluate blood pressure readings with Albert Villaneuva-Reyes, Ed.D., program director and professor of speech-language pathology. (Bottom) Diana Julbe-Delgado, professor of speech-language pathology, and a student complete speech-language testing.
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(Top) Students perform a hearing assessment with Tania Flink, professor of sport and exercise science.
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BorPerspectivesderfromthe
Nothing breaks the ice with preschoolers quite like reading Dr. Seuss. Friendships emerged quickly from the chaos of breakfast and playtime as Julia Wonsettler read “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” to a group of students in a classroom at Catholic Community Services’ Pio Decimo Center in Tucson, Ariz.
Wonsettler, a freshman in the physician assistant program at Gannon University, had journeyed a long way to share this moment in late February. She and seven other students from Gannon’s Erie campus spent eight days in southern Arizona as part of an Alternative Break Service Trip, or ABST, to explore immigration at the U.S./Mexico border.
This trip was one of six ABSTs that sent 45 students out into the world during spring break. Two groups traveled to Arizona while others served in Kentucky, Guatemala, Mexico and Ecuador. These were the first international trips since the pandemic began in early 2020.
Anthony Nunez, a freshman at Gannon University, paints a fence at the John Valenzuela Youth Center in South Tucson, Ariz.
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One sunny afternoon, the Gannon students taught the children some of the fundamentals of volleyball and soccer. The children were still practicing what they had learned the next day and week.
The walls of the John Valenzuela Youth Center in South Tucson hadn’t been painted in 27 years. And you could tell.
“You can’t imagine the effect attention like this has on our children,” Alderete said. “Thank you so very much.”
“I can’t believe what a difference this makes,” said Jessica Alderete, the activities director at the Thecenter.more significant contribution came during the students’ breaks and at the end of the school day, when students would work or play with the children.
A few days of work, however, transformed it.
ABSTs are weeklong service experiences designed to broaden students’ worldviews and to foster global citizenship through work and relationshipbuilding in unfamiliar Forsettings.Wonsettler and her ABST companions, that work started in a classroom for an organization that was founded to minister to the poor and hungry in Tucson’s Barrio Santa Rosa community, which has a significant population of recently settled immigrants to the U.S. The shared reading of Dr. Seuss preceded a week of hands-on service work.
Instead, human trafficking is the real business along the border.
Late in the trip he walked the Gannon students down to the wall, discussing the challenges of human trafficking and the history of immigration as he stepped along.
The U.S./Mexico border is also not the same. The recently built border wall has redefined the region, and it remains a point of contention in Arizona.
As for the border wall, he said he is a fan. It slows border crossers down enough for them to be apprehended, and it concentrates them to the areas where the wall ends and the old “Normandy fencing” resumes.
The Rev. Peter Neeley, associate director of education for the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Ariz., detests the border wall. His organization is a migrant ministry that works on both sides of the U.S./Mexico border, assisting people moving in both directions across the border and generally promoting safety and dignity. He considers the wall an abomination and an insult to everyone working at the border. He works in Nogales, a major border crossing. The wall was built through the center of town.
This is such a waste, he said, standing at the wall. “Imagine using just some of the money spent on this wall to actually help people,” he said. Before this, there was a simpler and lower fence, and a bustling economy on both sides of the border. The traffic was light on this day as it has been for some time – in part because of immigration policy but also because of COVIDera rules that limit commerce and visits to curtail spread of the disease.
Earlier in the week, she had explained some of the ways COVID-19 had disrupted families, education and the economy of southern Arizona. Two years into the pandemic, she said enrollment in her center is still down overall, and many children continue to struggle with attendance due to isolation or exposure. Still, she said that’s not the worst of “Whenit.
He told the students the wall is a daily reminder that we need to live up to Matthew 25:35: “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me in.”
the economy shut down, many lost jobs and had no way to support themselves. That brought on so much stress that many families just fell apart. Now, many of these kids are in foster care. Fortunately, many are fostered by someone in their family, but that’s not the same,” she said.
“It’s not what you think, or what you see on the news,” Raul Rodriguez said at lunch one afternoon. Rodriguez was newly retired from the U.S. Border Patrol and had agreed to discuss his experiences with the ABST group. He had spent 23 years working along the U.S./Mexico border – much of it between Yuma and Nogales in Arizona. From his perspective, “the people coming over aren’t families, but usually 16- to 40-year-old men from all over the world. Many are criminals or sexual predators escaping their own countries.
There are not a lot of families, like you’d think.”
There are also not a lot of drugs being trafficked across the border these days, he said. “Legalized marijuana in several states has hurt that trade.”
The Rev. Peter Neeley works on both sides of the border wall near Nogales, Ariz. He met with students during their Alternative Break Service Trip to offer some context about what the border and the new wall have meant to Nogales and to immigration in the region.
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Exploring the Desert Museum Gannon’s Alternative Break Service Trips immerse students in cultural experiences in part through exploring local attractions. Here’s three things we learned at the ArizonaSonora Desert Museum, which is part natural history museum and part zoo and botanical garden.
(Above) Zumiyah, a student at the Pio Decimo Center in Tucson, Ariz., made friends with Gannon student Sarah DuBrul. (Left) The ABST group stopped to pose at the border.
2. The desert has an abundance of birdlife, including the gila woodpecker, hummingbirdsseveralandthe great horned owl.
3. The Sonoran Desert is vast and includes southern Arizona and the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), which is home to 21 species of stingray.
1 2 3
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Pictured from left to right: An Le, Brennen Grabowski, Sarah DuBrul, Anthony Nunez, Harley Johnson, Elizabeth Gural, Chloe Adiutori and Julia Wonsettler. A great horned owl waits for a meal to show itself near the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
These are the kinds of experiences that tend to build in one’s mind once you’ve lived them. In the weeks after the trip, the Gannon students were still processing what they’d learned.
“I think that the quote of the whole trip that really stood out to me was from Father Neeley when he said you are never going to be able to grasp immigration, and specifically illegal immigration, if you have never felt desperation before,” Adiutori said. “He’s right. I don’t know that I will ever truly understand that feeling, but I think that being down there, experiencing the border and surrounding myself with the lived experiences of those communities has allowed me the opportunity to meet them halfway in a way that I never would have been able to before.”
By Doug Oathout, chief of staff and director of Marketing and Communications
1. There are more than 1,700 different varieties of cactus.
“Meetinggrasp. and seeing people who physically work at the border, have crossed the border, have lived this experience make the idea of immigration a tangible thing. It’s not an abstract concept anymore, but rather, I see specific people in my mind,” she said.
It is evident immigrationthatdefines many things in southern Arizona – not just the political landscape, but the local economy, the schools, and the demands on social services.
Each night brought powerful conversations as students reflected on their experiences.
“I think it’s so easy to have an opinion about immigration from Erie, but I never truly even began to grasp it until I was standing under the border wall in Nogales, Ariz.,” said Chloe Adiutori, one of the student leaders of the trip and a junior pre-pharmacy major. “Talking with Raul, seeing the work that places like Pío Décimo and JVYC are doing, and even talking to Father Neeley have made a previously overwhelming and unapproachable topic for me easier to begin to
View a photo gallery at magazine.gannon.edu/May2022
“Oneusage.of the people I met last Saturday … she had just gotten a prosthetic leg and told us that she really wasn’t able to find any PT clinics in the area that worked for her,” Wertz said. “She didn’t know what equipment she needed or how to go about using them. Just by talking with her for 30
“She immediately fell in love with it and started to talk about how this could become a partnership between local ministry and a university,” King Thatsaid. was August of 2020. Fast forward to now, and that partnership has since expanded to launch the Gannon Wellness Clinic at CHOSEN Mission Project Outreach Pavilion, a collaborative effort between CHOSEN and Gannon University’s physical therapy and occupational therapy faculty and students to provide medical equipment and education to community members.
“It’s part of a social responsibility to the larger public to respond to societal needs in the realm of health and wellness,” Lewis said.
It was Connie Lewis, PT, DPT, assistant teaching professor of physical therapy at Gannon University, and she wanted to introduce herself and her dream of meeting community needs for home health care equipment through outreach.
“Connie came here and saw what we’re doing,” said King, who is CHOSEN’s director. CHOSEN is an Erie-based organization with offices, distribution center and warehouse where medical equipment is refurbished and distributed to local homes as well as clinics and hospitals around the world.
GANNON MAGAZINE MAY 202220
Rick King had been looking for a way to “go the extra mile” with his medical equipment distribution services at CHOSEN Inc. when a stranger called him.
Students like Greta Wertz, a secondyear physical therapy student, work to pair clients with the right equipment while also educating them on proper
A power wheelchair will help a woman with a progressive neurological disorder move about the community independently again. The man with a balance deficit needs a simple wooden cane to stabilize himself as he walks. Another client needs basic wound care supplies, which seem to be in short supply.
The clinic welcomes underserved community members who may not have the insurance to purchase needed medical equipment or whose names remain for too long on waiting lists.Lewis is joined by Karen Probst, OTD, assistant professor of occupational therapy at Gannon, as well as Gannon occupational and physical therapy students. Together, they meet with community members who come to the clinic, carefully assessing their individual needs before recommending the proper equipment.
“It’s part of a
- Connie Lewis, PT, DPT View an exclusive video at magazine.gannon.edu/May2022
By Brianna Mariotti, content marketing strategist
(Left) Physical therapy students Greta Wertz and Alix Schoenfeld work with a client at the Gannon Wellness Clinic at C.M.P. Outreach. (Center left) Medical equipment at CHOSEN is prepared for re-distribution into the community. (Center right) Rick King, CHOSEN’s director. (Right) Karen Probst, OTD, assistant professor of occupational therapy, works with students to to assess a client’s medical equipment needs.
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The group’s efforts are also garnering support from programs like respiratory care, which recently helped package more than 46,000 medical items for Ukraine.
FOR PURPOSEA minutes, it completely changed her outlook on the situation.”
Outreach Pavilion will build on these efforts to serve patients in need of medical equipment, as well as provide opportunities for Gannon health professional students to collaborate and learn from one another.
Lewis pointed to storage rooms brimming with equipment. In January alone, the partnership helped distribute nearly 900 medical items to nearly 250 people at a total value of $57,592, Lewis reported. Nearly threequarters of clients were in the Erie City area and had an annual income of less than $25,000.
theresponsibilitysocialtolargerpublictorespondtosocietalneedsintherealm of health and wellness.”
Gannon University opened its Knight Ability Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic and the Little Knights Pro Bono Occupational Therapy Clinic on campus to provide therapy services to underserved and underinsured community members. The new Gannon Wellness Clinic at C.M.P.
King said he is excited about the growing potential in CHOSEN’s partnership with Gannon. “It takes many people in this community to reach the needs of the people,” he said. “Together, we can move a mountain. We just want to help people and to create in them a sense of honor in their ability to be mobile. With Gannon walking alongside us, we can do that.”
Gannon faculty and students also assist in cleaning, sorting, organizing and refurbishing donated durable medical equipment for re-donation back into the greater Erie area. They also package crutches, canes and walkers to be donated overseas to several “Studentscountries.arereminded that we have a duty to positively influence the health of society and that placing the needs of others, including the devotion of time, is an important aspect of what we believe. Students working at CHOSEN collaborate and communicate outside of the classroom, which are lifelong skills they will use in their future career,” Lewis said.
HEADLINESMAKINGFORYEARSThefirstnewscolumns
of The Gannon Knight were created with the steel keys of a typewriter and printed on the ground floor of the campus’ Walker Building in 1946. What was then known as “The Gannonite” has continued as a vital student-produced news organization for a 75-year history.
GANNON MAGAZINE MAY 202222
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-
Part of the Gannon experience is what happens beyond the walls of the Formerclassroom.Gannon President Joseph J. Wehrle said that just as professors teach students in the classroom, students decide what knowledge to impart in The Gannon Knight each Theweek.Knight
“Ihigh-qualityarticlesreadytobeplacedonthepageonproductionnight.triedtowriteaboutthingsthatweren’tnecessarilyjustuniversityissues.Itriedto write more about student issues,” said Washington Post Reporter Tim Craig ’99 as he recalled his own time at The CraigKnight.said the one lesson he carried into his career is that when he was interested in a topic, someone else probably was, too. Then, he would write about it.
staff has continued to meet weekly over the years to pitch stories before reporting on and producing
Editor-in-Chief Kelly Fennessy Meredith ’08 said studentproduced news functions as a channel for students to inform their “Ipeers.think importantit’s to always have an we’rewatchdogreallyindependententitythatispromotingthegoodbutisalsobeingtheandmakingsuredoingwhat’s right,” Fennessy Meredith “Somethingsaid.like The Knight – it’s such a great avenue for student voices to be heard,” she said.
CREATING DISCOURSE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
Students have reported on stories of campus life from the early “Jazz Jottings” and “Sports Shorts” of the first issues to signature milestones such as the retirement of Archbishop John Mark Gannon in 1966, Gannon’s newly attained university status in 1979, and the integration with Villa Maria College in 1989. More recently, it covered the opening and enhancements of facilities including Nash Library, Wehrle Hall, I-HACK and the Highmark Events Center. Just as the columns of a building are integral to its structure, so are a newspaper’s column inches vital to its recollection of history. The “columns” that make up The Knight are now produced digitally in a computer laboratory in the Center for Communication and Arts, but its mission remains unchanged. The Knight has always proved to advocate the student experience. It has captured the experience of a Black student on campus while calling for equal rights and voiced students’ opinions on the Vietnam War and campus safety following the Kent State Pastshootings.Knight
“You both fulfill your own curiosity while also sharing the knowledge that you learned with more people in a far broader audience, and I still believe that’s how I do my job today,” Craig said. “That sort of philosophy really took root at The Knight.”
“You both fulfill your own curiosity while also sharing the knowledge that you learned with more people in a far broader audience, and I still believe that’s how I do my job today.”
Through students’ voices, The Gannon Knight has headlined dozens of milestone events occurring over three quarters of a century.
(Left) The editorial board of The Gannon Knight poses for a yearbook picture in 1968. (Middle) In 1957, Gannon’s two official publications were The Lance and The Gannon Knight. (Right) Editor-in-Chief Madeline Bruce and Sports Editor Michael Guido record a weekly podcast in the studio.
Students covered events including Gannon Football Coach and pastErie Mayor Lou Tullio leading the Golden Knights to victory in 1951, the
Tim Craig ’99
By Chloe Forbes ’21, web assistant (Left) Darkroom supplies remain in the basement of the Walker Building where The Gannon Knight office used to be. (Middle) The 2021-22 Editorial Board gathers in the podcast studio on production night. (Right) Drafts of each page are laid out from a production night in the early 2000s.
Thepodcastengineerednewlystudio.organizationhasalsoreceivedstate-andnational-levelawardsforcontentanddesign,includinganoverallFirstPlacewithSpecialMeritawardbytheAmerican
Anna Malesiewski ’24, the current features editor, said there’s untapped potential in the various forms of media available on campus.
- Madeline Bruce ’22 GANNON MAGAZINE MAY 202224
“Without college journalism, we wouldn’t have a welleducated public, and I think that’s something everyone needs to know about and acknowledge, no matter what their career field is going to be.”
THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA
“I’ll be sad to leave, but not for the publication’s sake,” Garland said. “In all honesty, I think a new person and a new voice coming in will help energize the students.”
At the end of the day, The Gannon Knight remains an integral part of preserving and shaping the history of Gannon University.
The Knight underwent a digital evolution in 2020 when it ceased print publication and launched a digital news site. The Gannon Knight continues to prosper as a digital news entity, offering weekly digital and PDF versions of the paper, as well producedpodcastsas in the
“I think there are so many opportunities and avenues for collaboration between different student groups in the communications building and on campus as a whole,” Malesiewski said. “I hope new leadership will facilitate and promote that goal.”
Current Editor-in-Chief Madeline Bruce ’22 recalls a pivotal moment in her own college career where she profiled a transgender student on campus whose family rejected her identity. The student found a community of support between her professors and other students at Gannon, but she also “Iwhilehardshipsfacedlearningtoexpressheridentity.wasabletotellthestoryofsomeonewhodidn’thavetheopportunitytobeheardanywhereelseandwasoftenmisunderstoodbythecommunityatlarge,”Brucesaid.
As a new chapter begins, current students are optimistic about the future of The Knight.
“Without whathavejournalism,collegewewouldn’tawell-educatedpublic,andIthinkthat’ssomethingeveryoneneedstoknowaboutandacknowledge,nomattertheircareerfieldisgoingtobe.”
addition of women’s studies classes amid the women’s rights movement in the ’70s, and originated the idea of a collegiate homecoming queen at Gannon in 1954.
Scholastic Press Association – the highest award available – in 2021.
The year 2021 also became the year that The Knight said goodbye to its longtime adviser, Frank Garland, assistant professor of communication and the Garland,arts.who served as adviser for 15 years before retiring, has proven to be a pillar of The Gannon Knight newsroom with his red pen, quick wit and baseball statistics.
2002 The first color edition of The Gannon Knight circulates in September.
The Gannon Knight publishes its first-ever 16-page issue.
1953
THE GANNON KNIGHT THROUGH THE YEARS Listen to an audio exclusive featuring past GannontopicsandasMattBenChloeeditors-in-chiefForbes’21,Speggen’07andRink’03theyrecallmemoriesdiscusscurrentaboutTheKnightat May2022magazine.gannon.edu/
1964 Mary Neff and Marlene Santia become the first women on The Knight staff.
1983
1946
The Gannon Knight and Student Council introduce the idea of a campus collegiate homecoming queen who is nominated by young male students.
The paper expands from four pages to eight pages.
1949
1957 The Lance the university’s yearbook names The Gannon Knight “the most powerful student organization on campus.”
The Gannonite makes its debut.
1948 The name changes to The Gannon Knight and features the comic “Little Man on Campus.”
1967 Ruth Lessmen is appointed the first co-editor of The Knight.
1970s The Knight reports on issues like the equality of women’s education, students’ rights and crossing Seventh Street. The “Knightly News” section is launched and continues today.
2007 Design for the paper is set for sections still running today, and a new website offers articles online.
2014
The Knight office is moved from the basement of the Walker Building to the Center for Communication and the Arts.
2021
2020 Printed publication ceases, and a new website for publishing articles is created.
The podcast studio is built, debuting the podcast “Under the Arch.”
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1999 The Gannon Knight publishes 20-page issues.
Gannon Head Women’s Basketball Coach Cleve Wright has led his team to success on the court many times in his career. The veteran coach guided the Golden Knights to a 233-100 record with five 20-win seasons and five NCAA tournament appearances in his first stint from 2002 to 2013. He returned in 2019 and in three seasons has led Gannon to back-to-back PSAC championships and two more NCAA tournament berths while going 62-14. But the team gained a different dynamic when Emma Wright ’21 transferred from Grand Valley State to Gannon University where she now plays for Coach Wright –her father.
(Above) Emma Wright ’21 brings the energy to the court as a guard on Gannon’s women’s basketball team. (Right) The Wright family including (L-R) Diane, Cleve Wright, head women’s basketball coach, and Emma Wright, who is also a student in Gannon’s graduate clinical mental health counseling program.
making the wright connection
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“Oh boy, is she the key to life for me,” Emma said, grinning. “I could not do life without her at all. … I can tell her anything. She has truly been my biggest supporter and encourager and teacher of life that I could have ever asked for. I could not do this or anything without her.”
“She brings a high work ethic, works extremely hard,”
Emma was also named the PSAC Champion Scholar at the start of the PSAC Final Four. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Gannon in 2021 and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA.
- Cleve Wright
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“My childhood life revolved around going to the games,” Emma said. “Each Saturday was game day. Going to go there with my mom, my sister, same sweatshirt. You know what I mean? It was game day, our family Christmas every week. I was very excited for it.”
“Me and (my dad) always said that it wasn’t something we were going to do. … I respected him so much, but I wanted him as a dad and didn’t want him as coach at that time,” Emma said. “We only discussed it after I said to him, ‘I’m transferring.’ That decision was made, and it was like OK, my options are open. He brought it up to me, and then it was my decision.”
Cleve said he’s grateful for the support of his wife of 32 years.
Cleve said of his daughter. “Very committed. A truly caring teammate. (She is) a really good shooter, takes pride in her defense, defends and rebounds. She does a lot of things well. Her coming here made us a better team.”
“(She is) a really good shooter, takes pride in her defense, defends and rebounds. She does a lot of things well. Her coming here made us a better team.”
The father-daughter duo agrees it takes a special person to help them balance this unique dynamic. For them, that person is Diane Wright – Cleve’s wife and Emma’s mother.
“Again, a lot like Emma, she’s done a great job of handling it so well,” he said. “When Emma was playing at Grand Valley, I could be dad and we could talk through things, and I could help her understand her coach. That’s gone. Her mom helps her to process things – not just the basketball part, but really all her life. For Emma, that has been healthy for her to have a mother to help her process Thethat.”spirit of the competition has always been a part of the Wright family’s lives.
“That first year was probably a little harder for me because I had to really separate her in my mind. I was probably way harder on her than I should have been the first year. Things were certainly better this year,” Cleve said. Emma became a leader and a key defensive performer in her second year. The bigger the game, the better she played. The 5’11” guard was named the MVP of the PSAC Tournament while scoring 15 points and pulling down eight rebounds in a semifinal win over Kutztown University, followed by a 19-point effort in the championship game win over California University. A week later, she dropped in a career-high 25 points in an overtime loss to Shepherd University in the NCAA Tournament.
By Bob Shreve, assistant director of athletics media relations
Emma took the chance, becoming a key component of a Gannon basketball team that went from battling a season impacted by COVID-19 in 2020 to finishing at 24-7 this year.
“We want someone who is not going to be just a great player but a great teammate. Emma certainly embodies both of those,” he added.
Gannon’s women’s basketball team became back-to-back PSAC Champions in March 2022.
Until Emma decided to transfer, playing for her father wasn’t a priority.
“I wouldn’t say it’s hard. It’s not hard,” Cleve said, leaning back in his chair to reflect on what it’s like to coach his daughter. “Emma does a great job as a player of keeping that line between player and coach. … She doesn’t want to be treated any differently when it comes to basketball or when it comes to anything to do with the team.”
JUDITH MANNO STAGER VMC established the Judith Manno Stager Right to Life Fund at the Elk County Community Foundation. The fund will support programs, events, education and initiatives that promote the rights of the unborn. Stager is a founding member of the ECCF.
72 EDWARD M. GABRIEL was nominated by the White House for Member of the United States Institute of Peace Board of Directors. Gabriel served as U.S. Ambassador to Morocco between 1997 and 2001. He has has an extensive background in international affairs, having convened multilateral policy forums involving national security, trade and energy issues. He is currently the volunteer president and CEO of the American Task Force on Lebanon. He is the recipient of several awards including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and ACCESS Arab American of the Year and was recognized by the FBI for his work on bilateral security issues. He is the recipient of Lebanon’s National Order of the Cedar and Morocco’s Order of the Ouissam Alaouite.
JAMES A. MCLAUGHLIN, DMD retired from dentistry after 42 years of private practice.
BARBARA N. BURGESS ’90M is the 2021 recipient of Winthrop University’s James Pinckney Kinard and Lee Wicker Kinard Award for Excellence in Teaching. Burgess is a professor at the university’s College of Business Administration, where she teaches business communication, professional development and organizational leadership courses. She developed the Wilkerson Emotional Intelligence Test for Academics and Careers, for which she was named the Thompson Scholar in 2016. The test and her ongoing research are designed to help students identify their areas of strength and weakness as they prepare for their professional lives.
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BRIAN W. BOLASH, JR., ESQ. was promoted to executive vice president of Erie Insurance. He will continue to serve in his previous duties as the company’s general counsel and corporate secretary.
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REV. SHAWN J. CLERKIN, AOJN transitioned from his role at Gannon University to become a fulltime pastor in Franklin, Pa. Clerkin has been a fixture at Gannon for decades, serving as the university’s director of liberal studies and co-director of the School of Communication and the Arts.
classnotes SHARE YOUR NEWS LET US KNOW WHAT YOU’VE BEEN UP TO! Submit a class note to gannonalumni@gannon.edu A LUMNI A S S OCIATIO N GANNON UNIVERSITY 64
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ROBERT “BOB” A. LOWRY joined the commercial lending team at First Security Bank. Lowry has spent the past 30 years wearing many hats in the banking industry. His experiences include retail, small business and commercial banking, wealth management, credit and risk analysis, and operations.
KENNETH OGOREK ’90M is coordinating the local preparatory process for the upcoming Worldwide Synod of Bishops as part of his work for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. He is also on the local planning team for the national Eucharistic Revival that was announced by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
92 ARTHUR E. APOLINARIO, MD, MPH, FAAFP was elected president of the North Carolina Medical Society on Oct. 16, 2021. Apolinario is also the chair of the Medical Affairs Committee at Carolina Complete Health Inc., which is the first providerled care organization in the country. Apolinario is also the co-chair of the North Carolina Institute of Medicine’s COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Task Force, which assists the North Carolina Department of Health and Human
SAVE DATESTHE Join us for our annual celebration with special events for alumni, families and friends. GANNON MAGAZINE MAY 202228
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JOHN “JACK” A. WALTER was honored by Congressman Brian Higgins (NY) with a Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pin during a ceremony at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park for his distinguished service in the U.S. Army. Walter served with the 1st Calvary Division, 1st/21st Artillery and was later promoted to 1st Lieutenant in Cambodia. He was awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, five Air Medals, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1960 Device, and several other awards for his service in Vietnam. Walter retired from the military in 1974 and joined the aerospace and defense industry.
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Services with vaccine planning with a focus on equity. Apolinario is also the author of the book, The Absolute Last Weight-Loss, Diet & Exercise Book You Will Ever Need to Read, which was published in 2013.
94 ERIC G. LAPRICE, MS, ’99M, ’97C was selected for a temporary assignment to Alaska to serve as the acting district ranger of the Petersburg Ranger District on the Tongass National Forest. At nearly 17 million acres, the Tongass National Forest is the largest national forest in the system. His four-month assignment will run from mid-January through mid-May. For the second time in four years under LaPrice’s leadership, the Western Divide Ranger District of Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument has earned the Region 5 Regional Forester’s Honor Award for District of the Year.
95 RICHARD R. WATKINS, MD, MS, FACP, FIDSA, FISAC was appointed as medical director and member of the CVS Infectious Disease Advisory Team at CVS. Watkins brings more than 14 years of experience as an infectious disease physician and clinical researcher. Watkins is a professor of medicine at the Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown, Ohio. He has published dozens of peer-reviewed research papers, book and book chapters and contributes media interviews regarding infectious disease topics, including COVID-19. Watkins is currently the chair of the publications committee of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and an associate editor for several academic journals. He serves on multiple committees at the National Institutes of Health. Watkins lives in Aurora, Ohio with his wife, Tracey Lemonovich, MD – who is also an infectious disease physician – and their two children, Savannah and Isaac. CONNECTED WITH YOUR GANNON FAMILY View our events at gannonalumni.eventbrite.com
SCOTT E. MILLER, DBA will assume his new duties as senior vice president of academic affairs and provost of Pennsylvania Western University beginning July 1, 2022. Miller will lead the integrated institution from an academic affairs perspective, including budgeting, personnel and institutional planning. He also will direct all academic programs and lead the development of new programs. Miller was the dean of Edinboro University’s School of Business since 2012 and dean of its College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences since 2015. He is also serving as the interim dean of the College of Science and Health Professions.
PARRIS J. BAKER, PH.D., MSSA, served as vice chairman of human services on County Executive-elect Brenton Davis’ transition team. Baker is an associate professor of the mortuary science, social work and gerontology programs at Gannon University, pastor of Believer’s International Worship Center, and founder of the Men of Valor Ministries and Abba Fathers program.
DAHLKEMPER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
NICHOLAS FAGAN ’17 AND MARIA HAYS ’19 A Moment in Time Independently published
MEGAN WOLLER, PH.D. Assistant professor of fine arts From Camelot to Spamalot: Musical Retellings of Arthurian Legend on Stage and Screen Oxford University Press
PUBLICATIONS
GLOBAL SUPPORT Global Matters We discuss current global phenomenon with Gannon international students, faculty and subject matter experts.
STAY
KRISTAL AMBROSE ’16 Kai and Gaia Discover the Gyre Bumblebee Books
The Knight Roundtable A weekly business podcast from the Dahlkemper School of Business at Gannon University. New Titles from your Gannon Family
93 TRACEY MCCANTS LEWIS, ESQ was recognized as one of 20 Black Women Making Hockey History. McCants Lewis is the Deputy General Counsel and Director of Human Resources for the Pittsburgh Penguins. She is also professor of law at Duquesne University School of Law. McCantis Lewis was named one of 28 Black executives to the Executive Leadership Academy class at Carnegie Mellon University in 2020.
PODCASTS
#GANNONFAMILY 29
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03 DAVID A. BURKETT, SR. ’03M, ’04C, ’07C was named the superintendent of Everett Area School District. Burkett currently works as superintendent of the Fannett-Metal School District in Franklin County and was previously the high school principal for Northern Bedford County.
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“The growth at Gannon has been amazing, but there has been one constant – the same loving energy and spirit that I experienced at Gannon is still present today. This energy and spirit is contagious, and I feel so much joy when I visit campus. My wife and I have designated Gannon in our will, and I try to give back generously to our school that has given so much to me. As alumni, there are many ways to remain engaged with Gannon long after your time here is over. Our university needs engaged alumni as we continue to grow and expand in a very competitive world.”
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JESSICA L. (KUZEMSKY) PAULSEN was named the director of Strategic Initiatives at Distinctive Schools. She has led and managed Chicago nonprofits for more than 15 years.
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LEIGH ANNE KRAEMERNASER ’09M was promoted to director of applied studies at Northern Pennsylvania Regional College, where she oversees all associate of applied science degree programs. KraemerNaser is also an instructor for the early childhood education program. She began working with NPRC in January 2019. She previously owned Curriculum Solution Center, where she developed professional learning programs for educators and created student curriculum.
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01 COLIN R. PETERSEN was selected to be the Western Division Coach of the Year by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. Petersen is the long-time head coach of Gannon’s women’s soccer and is now a threetime PSAC West Coach of the Year, previously earning the honor in 2008 and 2015. He is the winningest and longest-tenured coach in the history of Gannon women’s soccer. He now has a 173-151-32 record.
ADAM J. SUSMARSKI, DO traveled as the team physician for the USA Olympic Wrestling Teams to the 2021 Pan American Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala. All three wrestling teams won gold medals in their last competition prior to heading to Tokyo for the 2021 Olympics.
05 SEAN L. MARSHALL was announced as the new swimming coach at Billings West High School. He has been the head coach of the Billings Aquatic Club for the past six years and was a member of the Gannon University swim team.
CHRISTIAN J. HUNTER completed a thru-hike of the 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail. Hunter set off on March 24 and finished the trail in Maine on Aug. 9, 2021. Hunter previously worked for the Forest Service in land surveying. Only about one in four are successful in completing a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail.
Jim Ahearn ’61 Donor for consecutive40years and and Gannon National Alumni director.Board
births A daughter, Madelyn Rose Bottoni born on Jan. 11, 2022 to Mallory (Hedlund) Bottoni ’14 and her husband, AJason.son, Aidan Jennings Powers born on Sept. 14, 2021 to Krystin (Benkowski) Powers ’08 and her husband, Justin. Inspiration for the Next Generation honors individuals who set a precedent of commitment to Gannon University through philanthropic leadership. We’re grateful for the generosity of these leaders who step forward to strengthen the university and transform the lives of current and future students.
02 MICHAEL R. POREMBKA ’02M, ’04C, ’11C is the new superintendent of Greater Latrobe School District. He worked as the district’s assistant superintendent since August 2019 and as director of safety and security since July 2013. His previous positions included director of teaching and learning, Baggaley Elementary School principal, and interim director of facilities.
MARIE E. PALANO ’07C was promoted to assistant superintendent of Curriculum and Assessment for Seneca Valley School District. Previously, she worked 11 years as the district’s director of Analytics and Federal Programs.
BRIDGET M. (RAGER) PHILIP was named president of the Erie Catholic School System after serving as the interim president since January 2020. Philip will oversee and support the six schools in the system. Previously, she worked for 17 years in administrative positions at Gannon University, including director of Graduate Admissions and director of Global Admissions and Outreach.
Alumni Johanna RobertFredTessiaLawrenceMaryJamesSisterGaryColbyKimberlyPaulDeaconRobertRichardDonaldLaurieWilliamRichardStevenDeclanRichardMichaelArnoldJasonGeorgeStevenDanielMaryAckerson(Bodnar)’68VMCE.Adams’71VMC,’91MJ.Anderson’71,’80M,’89MP.Bacik’87A.Barcellona’76M.Belton’02E.Bergquist,CPA’58W.Beuchert,C.L.U.’71J.Billak’69Bingham’19,’20MP.Blecki’14J.Bliley’57M.Borowy’61K.(Donick)Braine’77VMCF.Brown’61C.Burkholder,DMD’54J.Buseck’76JamesL.Chatterton’66D.Chicatelli,MD’63J.(Brady)Clark’82P.Coates’70R.Conrath’60RebeccaA.Costa,SSJ’67VMC,’77MW.Cotter,Jr.’66B.(Fischer)Criscione’82D'Ambrosio,Esq.’53L.Day’95M.Deluca’58L.DeMarco’53 Deacon Robert P. Denoon ’00C Jeffrey M. Detore ’03 Richard R. Diplacido ’69 Sylvester S. Dittmer ’71 James F. Divins ’65 Richard H. Donnelly, Sr. ’54 Donna M. Dorer ’80 Mary ValerieRobertEaton(McLaughlin)’47VMCC.Engstrom’92,’98MB.(Bixby)Everett ’79 Mary T. Fahrs ’59VMC Alfred E. Farmer ’77 WilliamFilipkowski,F. Jr. ’58 Michael M. Filutze ’94 Katrina M. Foltz ’06M Richard W. Fuchs ’60 William G. Fuhrmann II ’92 Linda S. (Cioccio) Gidos ’72 Anthony J. Giovannitti ’73 Dale L. Haibach ’67 Robert P. Hausmann ’56 John L. Heibel, DDS ’57 DavidHeideckerH. ’72, ’93M Robert E. Held ’54 Gregory J. Helminski ’82 John P. Herrmann ’62 Elspeth J. Holt ’68M Richard J. Johnson ’48 Margaret A. (Quinn) Kelsey ’52VMC, ’83 Jerome R. Kenwood ’66 Alice PatrickJosephKichlu(Luther)’67VMCP.Kisiel’93J.Kloecker ’08 Victor J. Krym, DDS ’59 Daniel A. Leal ’60 Marianne PatriciaLauraJeromeLeonardJamesFrederickDonaldAndreaLawrenceRobertVincentRichardGlennMichaelClaraMartinReginaKathleenDavidDeaconDennisErnestRobertJamesIreneElinoraJosephJamesWayneBarbaraLedbetter(Carnahan)’50VMC(Lorence)Lewis’64VMCL.Lovercheck’71,’82E.Machek’79S.Machuga’84Mando’57VMCL.Mando’74M,’75CL.Mangol’64J.Manns’84MH.Marchini’50E.Marcinko’64ThomasJ.Matusiak’66,’71MM.Mayhew’98(Gahn)McMahon’71VMCP.(Schneider)Merritt’04MJ.Mesler,Jr.’69(Dachtyl)Meyer’70VMCD.Mihalick’69G.Miller’74W.Miller’61J.Monacella’48J.Monahan’58S.Morrow’63N.(Kulick)Nigro’11J.Obuszewski’70R.O'Polka’81MA.Parenti,DDS’73Paulitz’50M.Pelkowski’57D.Petrash’99G.(Jenkins)Petrinec’91 Arlene M. (Lacey) Polaski ’77VMC Susan Rieger ’66VMC Sister Mary R. Romeo, SSJ ’75VMC Rita J. PeterRose(Heintz)’55VMCJ.Russo’59, ’66M Leo W. Schlecht, Jr. ’58 Edward J. Selleny ’61 Margarita (Pedraja) Shon ’42VMC David E. Sidelinger ’74 Fred Sovyak, PE ’93M Brent J. Stahl ’94 Ronald F. Steg, DDS ’51 Robert C. Stone ’72 Lois RobertRoccoMartinSullivan(Owens)’56VMCR.Swabb’80J.Taccone’65G.Timmons, MD ’60 Jessica L. Tinko ’92 Stephen J. Troese, Esq. ’63 Margaret A. Tufts ’66VMC SheldonvanDeventer ’00, ’03M Frank D. Vona ’67 Norman J. Ward ’51 Dorothy M. (Brinig) Weaver ’60VMC Paul V. Webb, Jr., Esq. ’69 Robert A. Weber ’75 Donald J. Welsh ’82 RichardWhitingD. ’66, ’72M William C. Witkowski ’67 Caryn A. Wolfe ’95M Toni Young ’79 Parents and Friends Richard D. Carlisle Matthew Caster, DPT David G. Chivers Linda Eidell A. James Freeman Richard A. Gammon, Ph.D. Linda L. Gier Angela (Sutkoff) Guerrein Kenneth P. Hanas Saundra Kirkpatrick Margaret A. (Heldt) Knight Joseph A. Leone Jacob W. Martin Amy K. McKellop Larry G. Morton, Sr. Louis E. Narducci Genevieve M. Nelson Carlos BerniceTobyRichardRev.MarikaPabonPowersDanielJ.PrezJ.ReuscherF.RinasSadler RichardSambuchino,R. D.D.S. Stephen S. Stack Margaret Teliski Robert J. Teliski Most Reverend Donald W. Trautman, S.T.D., S.S.L. Kevin Wilczynski #GANNONFAMILYmemoriamin 31
REGANNE L. O’BRIEN recently secured nonprofit status for her organization, The Warrior in HER. The organization helps local women with mental health and chronic illnesses by providing
ANNON
16MACKENZIE M. KRANZ was sworn in to the Erie Bureau of Police during a ceremony at Erie City Hall. Kranz served in the Pennsylvania National Guard and most recently worked as an officer with the Millcreek Township Police Department.
17 ERIN MRENAK ’17M was named the new director of the Erie County Department of Health. Mrenak joined the county Health Department in February 2021 as the first director of strategy and policy and was promoted to deputy director in October.
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Distinguished Alumni
MaggiemarriagesMcKernan’18,’19M
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CHRISTOPHER C. FRYE, JR. was named a member of the JOEY L. MALUCHNIK ’13C was hired as the superintendent for the Wilkinsburg School District. Maluchnik worked as the interim superintendent since May 2021. Prior to his appointment, Maluchnik worked as the principal at Turner Intermediate since 2019. Additionally, he has worked as an assistant principal at Greensburg Salem High School, Everett Area JuniorSenior High School and Orange County High school. He has also worked as a principal at the Everett Area Middle School.
ALEXANDER P. WHEATON ’19M is among the new faculty ranks at Erie County Community College of Pennsylvania. Wheaton was previously an adjunct at Gannon University and has also taught at Mercyhurst University.
The Distinguished Alumni awards are presented by the National Alumni Board, the governing body of the Alumni Association, and they are presented as part of the Homecoming and Family Weekend celebrations each fall. Visit gannon.edu/DA to nominate someone today. Open
GANNON MAGAZINE MAY 202232
ANTWANE D. FIELDS was sworn in as a police officer by the Erie Bureau of Police on Feb. 17, 2022.
21RYAN L. CEDZO was among the winners of a Fair District PA mapmaking contest for his state Senate and House redistricitng maps. Cedzo, who earned a bachelor’s degree in math, is now working with Fair Districts PA to oversee the creation of a composite state House map to submit to the Legislative Redistricting Commission.
The Distinguished Alumni award recognizes alumni for their meaningful contributions in their professions, community and Gannon University.
Nominations Now
G U NIVERSITY G& V ILLA M ARIA C VOLLEGE
married Nick Tabar ’16 on Sept. 18, 2021. Elisabeth “Lis” M. Seibel ’16 married Joseph Mallon on Sept. 25, 2021.
ANDREW J. HELLMANN ’14M was the first male finisher in the 2021 Barber Beast on the Bay event on Sept. 11, 2021. Hellmann has won the event multiple times and is the owner of SNAP Fitness in Harborcreek, Pa.
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18 TYLER P. PALKA landed a role in the Hollywood film “American
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109 University Square Erie, PA gannon.edu16541-0001/magazine ONLINE GRADUATE PROGRAMS AND CERTIFICATES COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS Business Essentials Certificate Healthcare Business Analytics Certificate Master of Business Administration Master of Healthcare Administration MOROSKY COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS AND SCIENCES Doctor of Nursing Practice Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN) Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES, EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Anti-Money Laundering Certificate M.S. in Criminalistics M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction M.Ed. in Reading Reading Specialist Certification ESL Program Specialist Certification Principal District-WideCertificationSupervisory Certificate in Curriculum and Instruction Superintendent Letter of Eligibility Ph.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership Gannon's high-quality distance education programs provide flexible and current educational opportunities aligned with our university mission to prepare distance students to expand their career options in high demand fields. NO FEE TO APPLY. DISCOUNTED TUITION RATES FOR GANNON ALUMNI IN MANY PROGRAMS. FIND OUT MORE - GANNON.EDU | GRADUATE@GANNON.EDU PURSUE GRADUATEYOURDEGREE AT YOUR ALMA MATER.
